A reel is typically mounted on a fishing rod via a reel seat. Conventional reel seats comprises a reel seat body mounted on a rod of a fishing rod, a fixed hood mounted on the reel seat body and receiving one end of a reel leg, and a movable hood mounted on the reel seat body so as to be movable with respect to the fixed hood and receiving the other end of the reel leg. To mount a reel on such a reel seat, the one end of the reel leg is inserted into an opening in the fixed hood (an opening formed between the fixed hood and the reel leg setting surface) with the reel leg set on a reel leg setting surface of the reel seat body, while the movable hood is moved toward the fixed hood to insert the other end of the reel leg into an opening in the movable hood, such that the reel leg may be retained by the fixed hood and the movable hood.
In winding up a caught fish, the reel is pulled in a direction away from the rod due to a tension in the fishing line; therefore, the hood retaining the reel leg undergoes a strong tension in the direction away from the reel leg setting surface. To prevent damage on the hood due to such a tension, there is a demand for reinforcing the hood of the reel seat.
In view of the above, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2007-202407 (the “'407 Publication”) disclosed a reel seat having its hood formed of a fiber-reinforced resin for reinforcement of the hood. Additionally, Japanese Utility Model Registration Publication No. 2506854 (the “'854 Publication”) disclosed a reel leg crimping hood which is entirely formed of a fiber-reinforced resin. In this case, the hood is formed of a fiber-reinforced resin for reinforcement of the hood.
Since fibers have higher specific gravities, fiber-reinforced resins have larger weights than ordinary resins. Therefore, if the hood is formed of a fiber-reinforced resin as in the '407 Publication and the '854 Publication, the weight of the reel seat is larger.
Alternatively, the hood can be formed in a larger thickness to prevent damage on the hood, but such a hood degrades the appearance of the reel seat and the fishing rod. Additionally, a hood made of metal increases the weight more significantly.